3698.Beam Forming for Power and Propulsion
Solar power satellites have been proposed to supply energy for the Earth. The power would be beamed to Earth in the form of low-density microwaves or laser light. Another application of beamed energy may be interstellar lightsail propulsion . High velocities for the sail, up to a quarter that of light, require that the sail be kept as low in mass as possible. Sail masses of one kilogram and one gram are considered, having diameters of a few to about thousand meters. The challenges are considerable, but such missions may be doable, given sufficient research.Dr. Seth Potter, Dr. Gregory BenfordFRI 2:30 pm - 3:45 pm, Marquis 1Tech: projector, HDMI, Microphone

3716.Solar System Resources
A path to space development must incorporate the properties of the bodies that make up our solar system. These properties present both challenges and opportunities. When assessing locations from which to obtain resources, both energy and time requirements must be considered, as both have an economic cost. The properties of solar system bodies will be discussed as a means of guiding future researchers in charting a path toward space development and resource utilization.Dr. Gregory Benford, Will Morton, Tim Cassidy-Curtis, Dr. Seth PotterFRI 5:30 pm - 6:45 pm, ChicagoTech: projector, HDMI, Microphone

3760.Writers of the Future - Contest News
The Writers and Illustrators of the Future Contests host a 4 day workshop for winners annually as part of the gala celebration. Hear from winners themselves what they learned during the workshop. They will share stories of the various essays from L. Ron Hubbard on writing that they study and also the advice received from the various judges.Larry Niven, Tim Powers, Dr. Jerry Pournelle, Todd McCaffrey, Dr. Gregory Benford, Terry Madden, SAT 4:00 pm - 5:15 pm, Atlanta